2 new panels to probe Christie scandal

Democrats in New Jersey are launching two new investigative committees to further examine the traffic scandal that has rocked Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s administration, the latest sign that the fallout for the potential 2016 presidential hopeful is far from over.

The state Assembly committee will be chaired by Assemblyman John Wisniewski and will have subpoena powers and a special counsel, according to an announcement Monday. State Sen. Loretta Weinberg will lead a special panel in the other chamber, also with subpoena power, Senate President Steve Sweeney said. Democrats control both houses in the New Jersey state legislature.

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Last week, amid revelations that several top aides may have plotted to close lanes onto the George Washington Bridge as part of a political vendetta, Christie fired a deputy chief of staff and broke with his campaign manager.

“We have made great strides in finding out what actually happened here with this threat to public safety and abuse of power, but so many questions remain unanswered,” Wisniewski said in a statement. “The evidence that has come out in recent weeks makes clear that this now goes above and beyond a transportation issue and goes into the highest ranks of the executive branch. A concerted and focused investigation with increased resources is now needed.”

The Assembly panel will be a “supercommittee” whose purpose is to “keep expanding on the good work that the transportation committee had done during this session,” said incoming Speaker Vincent Prieto at a news conference on Monday. “I want to ensure that we give all the tools and resources to this committee to actually be able to leave no stone unturned.”

Sweeney, meanwhile, pledged Senate cooperation with Assembly counterparts “to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.”

A senior Democratic aide with knowledge of the Assembly committee told POLITICO that one of the first priorities would likely be a subpoena of Bridget Anne Kelly, the deputy chief of staff whom Christie fired last week.

The Assembly statement noted that others with “legal and investigatory backgrounds” would be named to the committee by members of the Democratic leadership.

A spokesman for Christie didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.